Television with plasma projections and neon technology

The first image that springs to mind for most people when they hear the word "neon" is the dazzling, garish, multicoloured illuminations seen in signage and festival-style accent lighting in some of the world's brightest cities. 

Yet, neon can also refer to a single-colour, muted illumination style. 

You probably have neon technology in your home (other than the neon 'BAR' sign in your entertainment area), as neon is now utilised for a broader range of applications than only the spectacular displays in Las Vegas and New York.

In a previous post, we described how plasma displays have been around for some time and how their clear image and vivid colour display have made them a popular choice for televisions in residential households. 

Panasonic's decision to cease production of plasma displays in response to the growing popularity of LCD and LED has left LG and Samsung as the only major plasma display manufacturers. 

Now that we comprehend the function of neon in plasma panels, how do these screens actually function?

CONSTRUCTION OF A PLASMA SHOW

This cutting-edge technology derives its strength from its composition, which consists of millions of microscopic phosphor-coated plasma cells (carrying a mixture of xenon and neon gas) placed between two glass plates and a dielectric layer containing long electrodes. 

The address electrodes are positioned along the back plate of glass, behind the cells, in the region where the cells are positioned. 

Just above the cell, a protective layer of magnesium oxide runs down the edge of the glass plate. 

Within this magnesium oxide layer lies an insulating dielectric substance for the transparent electrodes.

WHO ARE THEY, AND WHAT DO THEY DO?

Each set of electrodes occupies the entirety of the display and is arranged in rows and columns to make a simple grid. 

A high voltage is delivered across the cell to produce plasma. 

This results in the ionisation of noble gases and trace amounts of mercury in the grid's many tiny compartments.

Collisions between molecules of noble gases and atoms of mercury release increasing energy as electrons flow through the cell's plasma. 

This is then emitted into the environment as ultraviolet (UV) light, which can pass through the phosphor coating of the cell and excite its electrons, triggering a chain reaction that kills the cell. 

The surplus energy in the phosphor molecules must be re-emitted as a photon, albeit at a reduced energy level that falls only 40 percent inside the visible spectrum. 

This suggests that the primary colours blue, green, and red compose much of what we see on television. The image is created by the illumination of multiple cells on the screen.

HAVE ANY IDEA?

Because early plasma panels lacked a TV tuner, they could not be appropriately categorised as televisions. 

Like LCD screens, plasma displays were passive displays that displayed standard video by taking their signal from an external TV tuner (such as a DVD, VCR cable or digital antenna). 

Digital TV tuners are already standard on most plasma televisions, and some models even come with pre-installed heaven!

Given the introduction of LCD, LED, and even 4K televisions to the market, other major manufacturers may soon follow Panasonic's example and halt production of these television kinds. 

The plasma television should be retired.